After a week of absence, Florida Tech (3-1, SSC 1-0) stepped back on the hardwood and kick started conference play with a 3-1 win over Rollins (1-4, SSC 0-1) on Friday night at the Harold and Alfond Sports Center. (FIT Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – After a week of absence, Florida Tech (3-1, SSC 1-0) stepped back on the hardwood and kick started conference play with a 3-1 win over Rollins (1-4, SSC 0-1) on Friday night at the Harold and Alfond Sports Center.

After missing the first set, the Crimson and Gray roared back to snatch three consecutive sets (9-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-23).

Outside hitter, Kelly Germain led the FIT offense to accumulate 12 kills on 55 total attempts for a killing percentage of .218. At the current time, the Lakeland product sits ninth in the Sunshine State Conference for killing average with 3.27 kills per set.

Regulating the Panthers offense, senior setter Kiersten Rosa clutched 30 assists to bump her total to 121 for an assists per-set average of 8.07. With her numbers, the Mims native ranks in seventh within the SSC for assist percentage.

Keeping the Florida Tech defense sharp, sophomore defensive specialist Kyra Atkinson counted 26 digs to enlarge her personal record to 80. With a 4.91 average of digs per-set, Atkinson is now placed in fifth within the Sunshine State Conference.

As a team, the Panthers tacked 44 kills, 40 assists, 87 digs and three serving aces for a .033 clip and 49.4 point scoring percentage.

After falling to the Tars in the first set, FIT fought back in the second to grab the starting point and hold Rollins at distance. The Tars were only able to tie the score twice, as the Panthers continued to stretch the lead for the remainder of the set.

In a competitive third set, which had nine tie scores and four lead changes, the Panthers utilized a 3-2 run to capture a 2-1 lead in the match.

Entering the fourth set, the Crimson and Gray found itself trailing 17-15. After tying the score 17-17, Florida Tech forced the Tars to call timeout. Out of the break, the Panthers offense went to work and regained the lead, notching eight kills to seal the first Sunshine State Conference win, 3-1.

Next, the Panthers return home to square off against conference opponent, Embry-Riddle in the team’s home opener starting at 4 p.m. ET.